December 29, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
573 
being one of the finest aquatics, the flowers white and deliciously 
scented. 
The Largest Banch of Grapes (Foreman). —We made no 
mistake in the dimensions of the Arkleton bunch that was referred 
to a few weeks ago. It was carefully measured by a representative 
of this Journal, and a photograph was taken as the bunch was hanging 
on the Vines. As you and many other new readers have not seen the 
illustration we reproduce it. The bunch measured 2 feet 3 inches 
across the shoulders, and was the same in length. The circumference, 
following the contour of the shoulders to the body of the bunch, was 
8 feet. The weight of the bunch at Edinburgh was 25 lbs. 15 ozs. ; one 
from Eskbank, smaller, but more solid, weighing 26 lbs. 4 ozs. When 
first cut, the late Mr. Dickson of Arkleton always said his huge bunch 
weighed 26 lbs. 8 ozs. 
Plants for Rockery (F. D.). —It is difficult to name plants that 
rabbits will not eat, as much depends upon their number, the severity of 
the weather, and the scarcity of their natural food— i.e , grasses and 
other herbage. The following are noc usually eaten by rabbits, and 
will grow in rather shady situations, but not under the drip of trees :— 
Arabis albida, Aubrietia gneca, Azalea amoena, A. procumbens (the two 
last are dwarf shrubs requiring heat), Campanula garganica, Cistus vars. 
but they are not very hardy ; Cotoneaster rupestris (dwarf shrub) ; 
Cyclamens Atkinsi, Coum, vernum, hederasfolium, and neapolitanum do 
well in shade at the foot of rockwork ; Cytisus decumbens, Daphne 
Fioniana, Erica carnea, Genista prsecox, Geum montanum, Iberis 
comefolia, Lithospermum prostratum, Phlox Nelsoni, P. verna ; 
Primulas in variety do well at the foot of rockwork in partial shade ; 
Rhododendron hirsutum, Rosa rugosa, and var. alba, Saxifraga Camposi, 
Sedum spectabile, and Sempervivum arachnoideum. The Vincas and 
Hypericum calycinum form a dense covering in shade, and rabbits care 
nothing about them. Hellebores, Trollius, and Trillium, do well in 
partial shade, and are fine at the foot of rockwork, where they have 
plenty of good soil and moisture. 
Root-pruning Apple and Pear Trees (IT. G.). —The Apple is 
a less deep-rooting tree than the Pear, but both strike roots almost 
straight down in loose soils, producing few fibres, and consequently the 
trees are unfruitful. Root-pruning is intended to bring too gross 
growing trees into a bearing state by checking exuberance of growth. 
It is less needed when Apples are worked on Paradise stocks or Pears on 
the Quince, but all, in most soils, require root-pruning during the earlier 
stages of their career. When the trees are over-luxuriant uncover the 
roots, see where the strongest and most straight-down are, and sever 
these within a foot to a yard of the stem of the tree, according to its 
size aDd strength, any long and bare horizontal roots being treated in a 
similar manner, taking especial care of the fibres and small roots. If 
the trees are very vigorous and the roots are large and few, it is a safe 
plan to operate on one side only one year and defer the other until the 
next, for root-pruning should never be carried to excess, but looked upon 
rs a means for checking luxuriance and increasing the fruitfulness of 
the trees. Some judgment must be exercised, not forgetting that root- 
pruning lowers the growing powers of the tree, and that stunted growth 
is as undesirable as exuberance. Moderate root-pruning is safe, and far 
more effective than pruning the tops of trees. The cuts of the roo f s 
should be made on the under side, and as clean as possible. The best 
time to operate is as soon as the leaves commence falling, say from the 
middle of October to the end of November, Pears being sooner fit for 
root-pruning than Apple trees, but the work may be performed any time 
between the fall of the leaves and the commencement of the buds 
s welling, always choosing mild weather, with the soil in good working 
condition. Shortening the roots and thinning the branches of too strong 
growing trees undoubtedly incite to the formation of blossom buds. 
Sulphate of Iron for Apple Trees (F. J.).— Sulphate of iron, 
according to M. De Breuil, aids the growth of fruit trees and increases 
the size and quality of their produce. M. Muntz also says, “ With iron 
sulphate the increase is 30 2 per cent.” Iron sulphate increases the 
■chlorophyll in crops to which it has been applied 9 6 per cent., and this 
is the main agent essential to the colouring of fruits. Most of the soils 
of this country contain enough iron for the requirements of Apple trees, 
vet it is not always in the most suitable form for root absorption, and 
ihe trees may not obtain the requisite amount from the soil to promote a 
healthy growth. For those reasons we find Apple trees canker badly j 
where the ground contains more than 4 per cent, of iron oxide, and such j 
roil needs be ammoniated to render the iron useful. Clayey loam3 have j 
the iron oxide in the most available form, and fruit trees thrive best on 
such soils and produce the best fruit, but these soils must have the pan 
broken up, so that air and rain can penetrate freely, and if some manure 
is mixed with the hard pan the iron becomes available, also retains 
ammonia and phosphoric acids in soils. The application of iron sulphate 
to soils containing 5 to 6 per cent, of iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) has no bene¬ 
ficial action, but such instances are rare, and Apples grown in irony 
soils, termed red, as those of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset¬ 
shire, and Devonshire, contain more saccharine matter, greater specific 
gravity, carry the most colour, and make the best cider. It has to be 
remembered, however, that the beneficial action of iron depends on the 
presence of other essential plant foods in adequate corresponding ratio ; 
therefore, sulphate of iron as a manure can only prove useful in soils 
that are deficient of available iron, say less than 4 per cent., and when 
they also contain potash, phosphates, and lime, and then it (iron 
sulphate) possibly benefits by aiding the absorption of nitrogen and 
phosphoric acid, the sulphur acting as food or energy for the protoplasm 
of vegetable cells and the iron for the chlorophyll. Iron sulphate must 
not be applied in large quantities, 1 cwt. per acre being a full dressing, 
and three-quarter cwt. is sufficient in most cases, or a quarter of an 
ounce per square yard. The sulphate of iron should be mixed with ten 
times its weight of soil and distributed by hand evenly during moist 
weather in early spring, always when the ground is wet. 
Smllax Culture (F. E. W .).—You do not name the species, and 
the genus Smilax embraces stove, greenhouse, and hardy representatives. 
S. aspera mauritana is a beautiful evergreen climber of considerable size, 
half-hardy, but well suited for a conservatory. S. ornata has hand¬ 
somely marked leaves, spotted freely with silvery grey on a deep green 
ground, the markings being confined to the spaces between the veins is 
of moderate growth, forming a handsome pot specimen trained to a 
trellis, and requires a greenhouse temperature, warm rather than cool. 
S. Shuttleworthi, with large cordate, acuminate, deep green leaves 
blotched with silvery grey, the young leaves purplish at back, is a free- 
growing stove climber. S. variegata (salicifolia variegata) has the 
leaves finely marbled with white between the ribs ; is very ornamental, 
and requires a greenhouse temperature. Those are, perhaps, the best of 
SmilaxeB, which thrive best in a sandy loam with good drainage, and 
abundant supplies of water when growing, with a genial atmosphere. 
Perhaps, however, you have in mind the popular plant Myrsiphyilum 
asparagoides, that is popularly called Smilax, the green sprays of which 
are employed in bouquets and floral decorations. The plants succeed in 
warm or comparatively cool houses, the growths twining up strings. 
One of our correspondents has recommended it for covering the back 
walls of vineries. He says :—“ I planted it along the back wall of a 
vinery last season, and trained it up by simply tying small strings 
to the bottom and top wires. The shoots soon took to these, and no 
more attention was required in the way of training. It is astonishing 
bow closely the shoots keep twining themselves round the string, though 
resting against the intermediate wires. In no case did a shoot get 
behind a wire or twist itself round one, so that I cut any number of 
shoots up to 11 feet in length beautifully covered from top to bottom 
with its glossy foliage. The strings can be easily drawn out when the 
shoot is cut. These long sprays are very valuable for table decoration, 
as they can be twisted about in any form desired. I am ]ust now 
preparing sufficient plants for five or six other houses in the same way. 
The plant is easily raised from seed. After it is established it keeps 
throwing up young shoots year after year. I cut twenty dozens of those 
sprays during the Christmas week. Anyone who has much house and 
table decoration to do can easily understand what the value of those 
would be at such a time.” 
COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 28th. 
Trade slow, good supplies with no alteration in prices. 
Apples, half sieve .. .. 
,, Nova Scotia, per 
barrel. 
Cobbs, Kent, per 100 lbs. 
Grapes, per lb. 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. 
Beet, Red, dozen. 
Carrots, bunch. 
Cauliflowers, dozen .. .- 
Celery, bundle . 
Coleworts, dozen bunches 
Cucumbers, dozen .. .. 
Endive, dozen . 
Herbs, bunch .. ,. .. 
Leeks, bunch . 
Lettuce, dozen. 
Mushrooms, punnet .. 
AVERAGE 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
Azalea, dozen sprays.. 
Bouvardias, bunch .. .. 
Camelilas, doz. blooms .. 
Carnations, 12 blooms 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
blooms . 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
bunches. 
Eucharis, dozen. 
Gardenias, per dozen 
Hyacinth Roman, 12 sprays 
Lilac, white, French, per 
bunch . 
Lilium longiflorum 12 
blooms . 
Lilium (var.) doz. blooms 
Lily of the Valley, dozen 
sprays . 
Maidenhair Fern, doz.bchs. 
Marguerites, 12 bunches .. 
Mignonette, 12 bunches .. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
1 
0 to 3 
6 
Lemons, case . 
Oranges, per 100 .. .. 
12 
0 
17 
0 
Peaches, per dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
100 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each .. 
0 
6 
2 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Mustard and Cress, punnet 
0 
6 
to 0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bunch . 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches .. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Parsnips, dozen. 
1 
0 
1 
3 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy, bundle . 
1 
6 
3 
6 
Scorzouera, bundle .. 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Seakale, per basket .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb . 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Turnips, bunch. 
WHOLESALE PRICES—OUT FLOWERS. 
8. 
4 
1 
0 
1 
1 
1 
6 
4 
6 
0 
4 
9 
3 
2 
4 
3 
3 
Orchid Blooms in variety. 
d. s. d 
0 to 9 0 
0 16 
6 10 
6 4 0 
3 0 
6 4 0 
0 12 0 
0 6 0 
0 9 0 
9 10 
6 6 0 
0 12 0 
0 5 0 
0 4 0 
0 8 0 
0 6 0 
0 6 0 
Mimosa, French, per bunch 
Orchids, per dozen blooms 
Pelargoniums, 12 bunches 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, doz. 
bunches. 
Poinsettia, per bloom 
Primula (double) 12 sprays 
Pyrethrum doz. bunches .. 
Roses (French), per doz. .. 
„ „ boxes, 100. 
„ (indoor), dozen 
„ Red, per doz. blooms.. 
„ Tea, white, dozen .. 
„ Yellow, dozen .. .. 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms.. 
Tulips, dozen blooms 
Violets, Parme, French, per 
bunch . 
Violets, Czar, French, per 
bunch . 
Violets, Victoria, French, 
dozen bunchei .. .. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
15 
Oto 35 
0 
4 
0 
9 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
6 
0 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
0 
2 to 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
5 
2 
0 
3 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
2 
0 
5 
0 
1 
0 
1 
6 
1 
6 
0 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
0 
3 
0 
3 
6 
0 
2 
0 
6 
0 
3 
0 
4 
8 . 
d. 
8 . 
d. 
1 
0 to 
1 1 
3 
0 
12 
8 
0 
12 
0 
6 
0 
9 
0 
0 
4 
0 
9 
0 
6 
0 
9 
3 
0 
6 
0 
1 
6 
3 
0 
5 
0 
8 
0 
2 
0 
4 
0 
1 
0 
2 
0 
1 
6 
3 
0 
4 
0 
6 
0 
0 
6 
1 
0 
1 
0 
3 
0 
4 
6 
6 
0 
2 
6 
3 
6 
2 
0 
3 
0 
